Fourth Arrest Over Armed Robberies

A fourth man has been arrested in connection with two armed robberies and a kidnapping in the New Forest.

The first incident occurred on 5 December at Brockenhurst railway station at 0752 hrs when a man was threatened with a gun then forced to drive in his own car to various places around Brockenhurst before going to a bank, where he was told to withdraw cash and his mobile was phone was stolen.

The second incident happened on 14 December between 0930 and 1130 hrs when a woman in her 60s was kidnapped from her own home after being forced to hand over £100. She was then threatened with a gun and driven erratically in her own car, a Peugeot 207, stolen by the suspect, around the local area before being dropped off at the same spot she was abducted from 15 minutes later.

A 36-year man from Totton was arrested today (28 December) in connection with the two robberies and is in custody.

Two other men who have been questioned are on police bail while another has been released without charge.

Crimestoppers is offering a reward of up to £5,000 for information passed to the charity's 0800 555 111 number that leads to the conviction of the person behind these robberies.

A Crimestoppers spokesperson said: "The New Forest has a reputation for being a safe and peaceful place to live and visit and these crimes have caused a great amount of distress and unrest for communities across the region.

"I would urge anyone with information about these crimes to contact Crimestoppers anonymously and help us bring these wanted individuals to justice. We only want to know what you know, not who you are."

If you have any information about this crime you can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or through our website at www.crimestoppers-uk.org.